Analysis of Nutritional Quality Parameters in Leaves and Culms of Forage Barley

An experiment consisting of 15 genotypes was conducted during 2005–06 to evaluate the nutritional quality parameters in leaves and culms of barley. The results showed that whereas crude protein (CP), total ash (TA) and in-vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) were higher in leaves, dry matter (DM), crude fiber (CF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF) and acid detergent lignin (ADL) were significantly lower in leaves as compared to culms,. The DM content was 28.63 per cent in culms compared to 15.57 per cent in leaves. Similarly CF, NDF, ADF and ADL were 45.19, 63.46, 42.42 and 6.73 per cent, respectively in culms as compared to 28.73, 53.48, 33.02 and 3.34 per cent in leaves, respectively. The CP and IVDMD were 7.43 and 49.48 per cent in culms as compared to 13.44 and 67.99 per cent in leaves, respectively. The results showed that leaves are rich in terms of nutritional quality as compared to culms of barley.